Diphatsa Get BDF Lifeline

Shingirai Madondo | Monday July 7, 2014 07:00

 

Mission Mereyotlhe, the Botswana Volleyball Federation (BVF) senior sports development officer said BDF has rescinded its decision to stop sponsoring the club. The military will now support the two teams until the end of the ongoing Mascom League. 

The two Diphatsa teams have enjoyed financial backing from the BDF for a substantial period of time but their future look bleak after the military decided to cut the number of sporting teams it supports. The two teams have been in limbo for over a month now before the BDF decided to rescue them until the end of the season. 

Diphatsa men have not been participating in the league because their coach Leabaneng George, his assistant Justice Makgoba and players like Ignatius Bannye and Thapelo Khumo work for the military. The absence of the four threw a spanner in Diphatsa’s plans and the club had to plead with BDF to release them. The military has allowed Diphatsa to use its facilities, coaches and players until the end of the season.   In a letter addressed to commanding officers at 24 Infantry Battalion, 118 FAR and 175 AR, Diphatsa had requested for the release of its coaches and players working for the military.

“Following Circular Number 16 of 2014 that certain teams will be delisted from the BDF sponsorship, our team has been affected by such a development. 

However, the Mascom League is ongoing and therefore we (request to) have been given time to wind up,” reads part of the letter from Diphatsa to BDF bosses.

The club requested for the release of George, Makgoba, Bannye and Khumo. The once mighty army side assured the BDF that all security measures would be adhered to when the club is utilising military facilities.